Total births
11,868
Boys' name · since 1880
Dudley
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 11,868 babies named Dudley, peaking in 1931. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8314
- among boys today
- 11,868
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
11,868 babies have been named Dudley since 1880, making it today's #8314 boys' name.
Dudley has 11,868 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #8314 as of the latest data, more common than 42% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #8314 among boys today
- 11,868 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dudley is currently the #8314 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 11,868 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8314
- among boys today
- 11,868
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Dudley vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8314
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Dudley was born in this single decade.
1931
Single peak year
279 babies were named Dudley in 1931 - its busiest year on record.
How Dudley compares
11,868 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Dudley's all-time total is 32x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dudley | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,868 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 279 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dudley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dudley's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 29% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 71%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2009, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1931 peak of 279, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dudley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1931
Current rank
#8,314
Active since
1880
Dudley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1931)
- 279
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Dudley popularity over time - girls
120 total births recorded since 1914 (Dudley as girls' name)
Dudley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Dudley's strongest decade.
1,964 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Dudley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 270
1880s
270 births
- 1890s 253
1890s
253 births
- 1900s 312
1900s
312 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,362 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,964 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,856 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,798 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,859 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,039 births
- 1970s 411
1970s
411 births
- 1980s 291
1980s
291 births
- 1990s 199
1990s
199 births
- 2000s 107
2000s
107 births
- 2010s 97
2010s
97 births
- 2020s 50
2020s
50 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,964 births (17% of all-time use).
How Dudley compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Dudley's total volume
Dudley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dudley by state
Where Dudley concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 1,055 | 8.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 987 | 8.3% |
| #3 | New York | | 692 | 5.8% |
| #4 | California | | 494 | 4.2% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 430 | 3.6% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 360 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Kentucky | | 354 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 330 | 2.8% |
Louisiana share of Dudley's total US births 8.9%
Even split
1,055 of 11,868 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Dudley appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dudley? ▼
Dudley has been given to 11,868 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #8314 as of the latest data. 279 babies were born in 1931, its single highest year.
When was Dudley most popular? ▼
Dudley was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,964 total births. The single peak year was 1931.
Where is Dudley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dudley are Louisiana (1,055 births), Texas (987 births), New York (692 births).
How long has the name Dudley been used? ▼
Records for Dudley go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Dudley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dude, Dud. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dudley's data
- Dudley's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,964 total births); usage has since declined to 50 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Dudleys (1,055 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dudley
Nearby Names Like Dudley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dudley
Compare Dudley side by side: Dudley vs Dude Dudley vs Dud
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dudley
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dudley: #8314 Boys' Name - 11,868 Births, Peak 1931." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dudley. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dudley draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.